Monthly Archives: April 2011

We all want to what we think is the best for the folks under our care; at least I HOPE that’s what we wanna do. Now, I understand that at the margin, there are politicians that do enter the system and play the game for the sole purpose of enriching themselves, either with power or money–or both.

By and large, however, I think they play the game in an effort to serve well.

Folks, I lean Right, to the point of tipping maybe. I certainly deserve that description. Most of the content here is a critique of the thoughts, actions and policies of the Left. I mostly abhor the nanny state and all that goes with it; entitlements and political correctness and “this in the name of fairness”.

While they lean Left I find their tendencies more compelling. They carry well thought out positions and, more important in the blogosphere, they are able to convey them with well written out posts and comments.

Go check ’em out!

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Last month I posted about Media Bias as it pertained to the coverage in the Wisconsin Labor dispute between the public sector unions and Governor Walker. In it, I decried that while Gallup DID, in fact, report on their poll that showed strong support for the limitation of State workers. However, Gallup hid that report so deep and under such misguided headlines that it would never be found.

The top 3 most popular choices in dealing with state budgets? Reducing the power and influence of the state worker. Specifically, reducing the ability of the state unions to collectively bargain.

Recent headlines made me stop as I saw yet another case of media bias.

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AT&T has long gotten a bad rap on their cellular coverage. Common complaints include dropped calls, no signal, few bars and slow data speeds.

I can relate; I’ve had an iPhone for nearly 2 years now and have continually had problems with the coverage at my home and then again in a small “dead zone” on my way to the office. A non-trivial condition considering how much I’m on the phone for work; both at home and on the way to the office. While it’s gotten better over the last few years, it’s still frustrating and irritating.

At a press conference on Wednesday that took place at a secluded North Raleigh data and switch center, the company disclosed plans for high-speed wireless broadband service known as “4G” to be rolled out later this year. They also stressed that the Triangle will be one of the first markets where new technology will deliver data, video and voice six to seven times faster than current 3G technology.

Scores from the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment to be released Tuesday show 15-year-old students in the U.S. performing about average in reading and science, and below average in math. Out of 34 countries, the U.S. ranked 14th in reading, 17th in science and 25th in math.

…with the exception of Switzerland, the United States spends more than any other country on education, an average of $91,700 per student between the ages of six and fifteen.

That’s not only more than other countries spend but it is also more than better achieving countries spend – the United States spends a third more than Finland, a country that consistently ranks near the top in science, reading, and math testing.

This isn’t new. We’ve known this for a long time now. And, just as long as we’ve been watching spending go up and achievement go down, we’ve been debating how to change one or both of those trajectories. And of all those debates, few have been more contentious than all the others. That subject? That topic?

Now, to be sure, there ARE studies that show the United States coming in some other place than first, but I don’t think the measurement system is really one that can be trusted to measure medical care delivery. Afterall, they’re measuring things not really associated with medical care:

Mean

Minimum

Maximum

Health

25

20

40

Health Inequalities

30

20

30

Responsiveness Level

12.5

5

15

Responsiveness Distribution

12.5

5

Fair Financing

25

15

35

To be sure, some of these are fair measurements. Others, however, not so much. For example, Fair Financing. This metric doesn’t speak to the quality of care, simply the amount of income to purchase it. Others again, fail to measure the qualify of care given. They simply measure distribution of said care. Without a doubt the inclusion of such characteristics may be acceptable from your POLITICAL position, but it in no way measures the quality of care being delivered.

In the past five years, would-be parents from as far as Istanbul and Uruguay have turned to healthy, young American mothers to serve as surrogates, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The babies are born U.S. citizens, but surrogacy agency officials say that’s not a primary motivation for the parents, who typically come from European and Latin American countries where surrogacy is illegal or socially unacceptable. The parents have exhausted other options and are willing to pay about $50,000 to $100,000 — part of which goes to the surrogate — to have biological children.

The world, having exhausted all other options, are willing t pay money to come to America to take advantage of our medical delivery services.

So, is the fact that people are willing, and ABLE mind you, to pay $50-$100k for a procedure, impacting the amount of money spent in American health care costs by the way, a good thing or a dirty rotten example of how America just sucks at all things medical care related?